Winky: This story sucks.
Dobby: WINKY!
Winky: Well, it does.
Dobby: Yeah, I guess. It was a spur of the moment thing!
Winky: We did it during our kitchen break…
Dobby: While downing a few butterbeers for Winky…
Winky: And a few firewhiskeys for Dobby…
Dobby: We came up with this stoopid idea.
Winky: And turned it into a story!
Dobby: And, as we have said many times before,
Winky: HARRY POTTER IS OWNING US! NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!
Dobby: Also, 'The Drifters' is not our song. Even Winky can't sing that bad.
Winky: WHAT?
Dobby: Er, I mean, good.
Winky: THANK YOU! I happen to LIKE the Drifters. Hmph.
Dobby: Okay, onwards!
------
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No. Sorry to break it to you, but I am not going – end of story."
Lily Evans shook her head when the short Hufflepuff boy walked away, slumped, back to the castle.
To put it one way, Lily was sick.
Very sick.
SICK! SICK! SICK!
But not in that sense.
She had been SICK of saying "no" for the last few days, but who cared? If she said yes, she might have to actually go.
Yes.
Go.
To the stupid Christmas Ball of the year. Her seventh year. She had never been before, and she wasn't going to break the tradition.
Thank god that stupid Potter was going home, and couldn't ask her to the ball.
Or else she might have been very very very sick.
But it was Christmas.
But since her parents had died, early this year, she hadn't really been the same. She had her friends, but they were all going home today, leaving Hogwarts and herself, too afraid to go home and fear Petunia's wrath.
She kicked a pebble along the ground.
Last year, her parents had been around.
She kicked the pebble again, harder.
Last year, she had gone home.
She whacked the pebble around, chasing after it.
Last year, Petunia had been just a tiny bit bearable, thanks to her parents.
Suddenly she picked up the pebble and threw it as hard as she could into the great lake.
But that was all last year. Not this year.
She sat down heavily on the ground.
Even the Marauders were going home to their parents, whether they had one or two, or even adopted ones like Sirius Black.
She was the only Gryffindor staying for the Christmas Ball.
Bar some ickle little firsties, as Peeves liked to call them.
Or so she thought.
------
"Psst… James!" James looked around him, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.
"What?" He asked, looking heavenward.
"Over here!" The voice was coming from behind a suit of armour.
James jogged over to the suit of armour, finally seeing who it was – that crazy Hestia Jones.
"What do you want, Tia?" James was good friends with her, they had been neighbours for practically forever.
"You know how Lily is staying at Hogwarts for her last Christmas?"
"SHE IS?"
"Well, I guess you didn't. She wouldn't have told you, or else you might have stayed, and in her opinion, that is the worst thing that could have happened."
James cringed. "Why are you telling me this? We all have to leave in ten minutes – the train is leaving!"
Tia got on with her work. "Well, I wrote a letter home, and asked if I could stay here, and if you could, if you wanted, and I wrote letters to all of the Marauders families, if they wanted to, if they could stay here for Christmas if it pleased them. It would really surprise Lily. Bella Figg, Alice Jones and I are staying, but Lily doesn't know that."
"Come again? Say it in English, this time, please."
"James! You know what I mean. I just get so-"
"Yeah yeah, Tia, I got that, but didn't you just say a moment ago, ME STAYING HERE WOULD BE THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO HER? – I am NOT one to ruin someone's Christmas, even if to stay with Lily."
"James, you nitwit! It's your chance with her. When she sees that you have sacrificed going to see your family with staying with her, she will so totally love you."
"Right."
"James! Just try! And your parents said it would be okay. Remus is staying, too, Peter can't because he was going to Romania, but Sirius can stay, but he couldn't find you. We all went looking for you – so what is the verdict?"
"Fine. I just don't want to wreck Lily's Christmas."
"Woohoo! Wait 'till I tell everyone else! We are like, the only Gryffindor students! Woohoo!" And with that, Tia went bouncing down the hall.
James shook his head, and smiled.
------
Frank Longbottom looked up from his position on the couch.
He was bored.
Very bored.
Extremely bored.
So bored he could jump off the Astronomy Tower just for fun.
After thinking about this a second time, he decided her wasn't THAT bored.
He had just gotten a letter from his parents, asking if he could stay at Hogwarts for Christmas, because his great-grandmother's second cousin's aunt's husband's daughter-in-law's son had gotten sick.
Or something like that.
And now no-one was here.
Hmph.
Frank was interrupted in his sulking to hear a noise near the portrait hole. Great. More first years –
"Frank! What are you doing here?"
Frank spun around. "Lily? Why aren't you going home?"
Lily rolled her eyes happily. "I just asked you the same question. At least I have someone to do something with these holidays! All my friends are gone!"
Frank suddenly seemed a lot happier.
A lot lot happier.
A lot lot lot happier.
So happy he could burst!
Well, almost.
------
Alice was getting cramped, sitting there on the cold hard stone floor of the girls' domitory stairs.
And annoyed.
Very annoyed.
She was bored, too.
Alice looked down into the Common Room. Time for Plan A.
Yes, Plan A.
Sirius, Tia, James, Herself and Remus had concocted a plan. It was called, after much a due, Plan A.
Instead of Plan "Get Lily snogging James before Midnight" (Sirius's Idea) or "Plan Romance" (Tia's Idea) or "Plan Bash up Sirius" (James's Idea) but just plain "Plan A".
But never mind about that.
She had more interesting things to think about.
Like, Lily talking to Frank, her boyfriend, in the Common Room.
The Marauders and Tia and Alice had already filled Frank in on what he had to do. Which was, distract Lily.
Which he was doing a very good job of.
Fortunately.
Alice looked at the clock. One more minute to go.
Fifty seconds.
Forty seconds.
Twenty-five seconds.
Twenty seconds.
Ten seconds.
Eight seconds.
Six seconds.
Four seconds.
Three seconds.
Two seconds.
One second…..
"ALOHA!"
------
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Lily screamed her head off.
You would be too, in her place.
Sirius Black was standing in front of her, wearing nothing but a hula skirt.
No, just joking.
But he was wearing the hula skirt. Just with pants underneath, thank god.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Lily yelled, too shocked to do much else.
Sirius looked mock sad. "Lily, I stay all the way here, instead of going to the Potters, and you great me like that? Disrespectful, I say-"
He was cut off by Lily's tremendous hug. "You stayed just for me? Who told you?"
Hestia Jones' voice drawled out from the stairwell. "I did, you dingbat. You actually think that we would leave you all alone on our last Christmas at Hogwarts? Wow. You really are as thick as I-"
She, too, was cut off with a huge hug.
"Do I get that treatment? You know, I-" James Potter was cut off with a snarl.
"What the hell are you doing here, Potter? It better not be because-"
"Yes, Lily, I stayed because I didn't want you to be lonely."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
No, Lily was not yelling because of James.
This time.
She was yelling because of Alice. And Arabella, also known as Bella.
"YOU GUYS! YOU STAYED! YOU ARE SO SWEET! THANKS SO MUCH!" Lily yelled.
They engulfed her in a hug.
James muttered to Remus,who had finally come out to watch, "Am I sweet because I stayed?"
Remus just whacked him on the shoulder with a smile.
------
"Lily, would you-?"
"NO, I'M NOT GOING TO THE BALL WITH YOU, POTTER, FORGET IT!"
"I wasn't going to ask you to come to the ball."
"Oh." Now Lily felt really really REALLY stupid. "Sorry, I-"
James cut her off. "I would love to go to the ball with you, but I know you wouldn't allow it, so could you just...save the last dance for me?" he finished in a whisper.
"Oh, ok. Sure." Lily wasn't sure of what she was saying, she still felt quite embarrassed about her outburst earlier.
James gave her a huge happy smile as if she had pronounced him King of the World and ran off.
------
"No."
"YES!"
"No."
"YES!"
"No."
"YES!"
"No."
"YES!"
"No."
"YES!"
"GO AWAY! I AM NOT GOING TO THE BALL, FULL STOP!"
"Yes, you are, we did not stay at Hogwarts to see you stay in your bed on Christmas Eve. Come on, Lily!"
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"YES!"
"NO!"
"NO!"
"NO! You will NOT get me with that little mind game of actually saying No in order to get me to say yes. NO NO AND NO!"
Alice, Tia, and Bella sighed. Lily was NOT being co-operative.
At all.
Plan A was a no-go.
They would have to switch to Plan B.
"But Lily-"
"NO! I WILL NOT GO! STOP ANNOYING ME! I DON'T WANT TO GO SO I AM NOT GOING!"
"Fine. Be that way. We will just have to take back that really pretty dress we purchased in Hogsmeade that you have had your eye on for like, forever…"
Lily's eyes widened, but was silent.
"And those really nice earrings that we bought for you as a surprise…"
Lily couldn't be silent any more. "You did?"
"Yes, we did, but now we will have to take them back…" Alice joined in.
Truth to be told, they had all sneaked out the night before to Hogsmeade, courtesy of Sirius and James, while Lily was playing chess with Remus.
They had bought the dress Lily had had her eye on for the last six years, that was in such an expensive store she had never even asked the price.
It turned out, it wasn't that expensive. In fact, it was James's little anonymous gift to Lily that she didn't know about.
Lily was still silent.
Bella coaxed her. "You know, honey, if you just try on the dress…" And she brought it out to show everyone.
It really was a pretty dress. It had a sort of gleam, and was the prettiest emerald green you could imagine. It had a halter-neck top, that settled over a long skirt, then simply fell down to the person wearing it's toes. It was perfect for Lily. It was simple, but stunning.
Lily's eyes had bugged out. She had loved this dress the moment she set her eyes on it, begging for it every Christmas, but never getting it. Finally…
"Fine. I will go. But you guys persuaded me. Do I get to keep the dress? Did you guys buy it for me? Thanks so much!"
She didn't give them time to answer. She hugged them all.
James Potter, hovering outside of the dorm on his broomstick, smiled.
Things were going as planned.
------
"Come on, Lily! You told us you would come."
"Yeah, but I feel bad now, I turned down all of those guys, telling them I wouldn't go with them because I wasn't going. Besides, I would be breaking the traditio-"
She was broken off by Bella. "Lily! For once in your life, just do what we ask. Please. We are begging you. It wouldn't be the same without you. Please."
Suddenly Lily felt really bad.
Really really bad.
Really really really bad.
Okay, that's enough of that.
But you get the picture.
Back to the story…
Bella never begged.
Never.
Alice sometimes did, that nice, blonde haired, slightly plump, red cheeked girl who you couldn't help but liking.
Hestia had the luscious black hair that was so straight it was the envy of every girl in the school. She was thin, but not skinny. She had a sharp tongue, and picked her friends, you couldn't pick her. She was a unique individual that everyone was drawn to.
Bella was mature for her age. Her darkest, deepest secret was that she was a squib. All of the teachers knew that, and she was an exception to the school. Dumbledore liked her and let her to the school with a wave of his hand, letting her learn all about the theory of magic, which she was fascinated with.
They had only learnt her secret two years ago, and all swore to take it with them to the grave. She never, ever begged. Ever. It was under her pride to do so.
So, to put it simply, this was a phenomenon.
"Fine." Lily said with a sigh, and slipped out of her jeans, and into her dress.
The others put on their dresses, with had suddenly 'appeared out of nowhere' as Lily put it, and they had exchanged mischievous glances over her head.
They were finally all dressed.
Lily with her hair down, straightened and layered, Bella with her hair up, in a electric blue strapless dress, Alice in traditional hot pink (well, maybe not so traditional) dress-robes and Hestia with a white dress not too different from Bella's.
To put it simply, they looked fabulous.
"Too bad you didn't say yes to one of your many suitors, Lily," Tia told her, with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Yeah, Lily, especially how all of us are going with someone…" Alice added when they were down in the common room.
"WHAT! YOU DIDN'T TELL ME! NOW I WILL LOOK LIKE A COMPLETE AND UTTER LOSER! YOU - " Lily finally figured something out.
"What?" Tia asked mischievously.
"You want to set me up with James, don't you? I knew it. You can see straight through you guys. I can't believe it. And how he hasn't ask me out at all, just asked me to save the last dance. I can't believe you guys!"
Suddenly the boys arrived.
They were looked quite gentlemanly in their tuxes – dress robes had been dubbed too girly – and they each had a different bow tie, each matching their dates. James had one that matched Lily's dress, and when she saw this, she rolled her eyes.
Frank offered his arm to Alice, Remus to Bella, and Sirius to Hestia.
Hesitantly, James offered his to Lily.
Everyone looked at her.
Sighing, she took it.
James looked like he was in heaven.
At least, until he bonked his head on the portrait door, because he was looking at Lily instead of where he was going.
"Thirty-four."
"What, Remus?" Bella asked.
"The thirty-fourth time this year he has walked into something because of Lily."
With that, everyone burst into laughter, including James.
Lily just rolled her eyes, but had a smile on her face.
'Plan C into action!' Remus thought.
------
Lily sat on the side of the Great Hall.
Watching moodily as Bella danced with Remus.
And Tia danced with Sirius.
And Alice with Frank.
And James with a … who was James with?
Lily squinted her eyes. James was dancing with a tiny first year Gryffindor! That was so sweet of him…
'Oh!' She finally recapped a moment – that had been that little first year standing around, not talking to anyone, just like Lily was now.
It really was sweet of James.
Lily looked away before anyone could see she was looking at James.
She wish she had taken up one of the offers of her to go to the dance with someone.
It was funny, though, that no-one had asked her to dance.
After all of twenty-three - no make that twenty-four suitors that had asked her.
Damn.
'Have I scared them all off? Do I look ugly?' Lily thought worriedly.
James looked over, but Lily, too immersed in her thoughts, didn't notice.
She was so lovely, he thought, as he twirled the small first year around on the spot.
Thinking about the first year, he smiled. He loved dancing, something Sirius always ragged him about, but never mind about that.
So when he saw this little girl sitting on a chair, with a frown on her face, he decided, as Head Boy, it was his duty to dance with her.
Her face had lit up, but she had gotten up cautiously, as if wondering if this was a prank.
"No," James had assured her, this was not a prank.
All of the other ickle firsties were now watching them rapturously.
James smiled.
At least he had made someone's night a good one.
------
Lily was bored.
Really bored.
So bored she could go –
Go –
Go – hmm… to… bed.
Yes, that's it. Go to bed.
And she would.
She hated balls. She knew this was a mistake.
She knew she shouldn't have broken the tradition.
She hastily got up from the chair she was sitting on, and wiped her palms on her dress.
She would have to return the dress, she knew.
Her friends wouldn't be happy, she also knew.
But she really didn't care at that moment.
She just wanted to get out of there, and fast.
She walked behind some furniture, so quietly and slowly that only a few people noticed.
None of them her friends, thank god.
------
Bella revolved on the spot, smiling dreamingly. She loved dancing…
Remus looked at her. She was so pretty in that light.
Actually, she was always pretty.
But never mind that.
------
Tia looked up into Sirius's eyes.
They laughed merrily at her.
Sirius looked down at her.
Her eyes sparkled…
------
Alice spun into Frank, perfectly.
Frank smiled.
And what was going to be an absolutely horrible holiday, turned out to be the best one he had ever had.
And to think this all stemmed from Lily.
Wait a moment, where was Lily?
------
James twirled yet another first year on the spot. Once he had asked one to dance, the rest had gone for it.
Not that he minded.
Much.
He just wished that he could have one dance with Lily….
Where was Lily, anyway?
------
To answer the question that is on everybody's mind,
Lily was in the bath.
Taking a nice, long soak.
Sitting in a chair for two hours without anyone asking you to dance really stresses you out.
A lot.
She sunk lower into the bath.
------
"Ten!"
"Nine!"
"Eight!"
"Seven!"
"Six!"
"Five!"
"Four!"
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
"MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!" Sirius yelled at the top of his voice.
Tia just chuckled.
James laughed.
Frank kissed Alice on the cheek.
Bella danced.
Remus rolled his eyes, smiling.
Lily was still in the bath, while the others were still in the hall.
(Well duuuh!)
------
Lily sat in her pyjamas, doing her nails the Muggle way.
She sighed.
And sighed.
Again.
And again.
She knew that the evening would be a mistake.
Potter didn't even get his 'last dance'!
At least something good had come of this night.
Potter must be mad…
YESSSSSSS!
------
James was grumpy.
Very grumpy.
Extremely grumpy.
So grumpy he could go talk to Myrtle –
Wait, maybe not that grumpy.
He glanced over to the happy couples.
He wished Lily were there.
Hey, where was Lily, anyway?
He sauntered over to Tia.
She looked annoyed at being interrupted with Sirius, but talked to him anyway.
Suddenly the whole group joined in.
James left. He was tired.
But the others had only gotten started…
Time for Plan G. (Or was it Plan H? Never mind…)
------
Lily slipped into her bed.
It was well past one in the morning.
"Merry Christmas, Lily," she mumbled to herself.
Suddenly the lights flicked on.
Damn.
------
"GERROFF ME!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
"NO!"
"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU TAKING ME?"
"Lily, shut up, YOU ARE WAKING UP THE WHOLE HOUSE AT ONE IN THE MORNING!"
"Um, we are the only people here, 'cept for first years."
"SIRIUS HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET UP HERE!"
"Calm it, Lily, stop struggling."
"TIA! STOP IT!"
"What? Why are you mad?"
"Um, maybe the fact that I am UPSIDE DOWN, WITH A BLINDFOLD AND IN MY PYJAMAS! PUT ME DOWN!"
"No."
"Frank? Why are you up here?"
"Why not?"
"HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE, SEEING ME IN MY PYJAMAS!"
"Only four."
"WHAT!"
"Um, Tia, Frank, Sirius and me."
"WHO THE HELL IS ME?"
"Um, Bella, you would have thought you would have guessed after all of these years…."
"Shut up. WHY IS SIRIUS AND FRANK HERE? I AM IN MY PJs!"
"Because you woke us up."
"Aw, shut it."
"Okay, here you go Lily."
"Wha – OW! THAT HURT!"
"You said you wanted to be put down."
"NOT LIKE THAT!"
"Never mind now. James is here."
"WHAT THE HELL?"
------
James rolled over in his sleep.
He had been so tired, that he just changed into his pj bottoms and collapsed on his bed.
The rest were still in the common room, talking.
Wait, scratch that, probably snogging.
He was drifting off to sleep…
The light switch flicked on.
Damn.
------
"PUT ME DOWN! I AM TIRED!"
"Um, no."
"REMUS!"
"What?"
"GET THEM TO PUT ME DOWN!"
"Um, sorry James, I am the one holding you up."
"WELL PUT ME DOWN!"
"Now now, stop being a ninny, just a few more steps…"
"ALICE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
"Um, helping Remus carry you."
"STOP CARRYING ME!"
"Okay."
"Wha- OUCH!"
------
Lily rubbed her eyes.
James rubbed his eyes.
They both stood up.
And glared at their friends.
Lily glared at James.
Lily and James would never, ever ever be friends.
At least, Lily thought.
They glared once more at their friends.
If looks could kill, all of them would be six foot under.
But since they can't, Sirius was playing the bagpipes instead.
"You play the bagpipes!" Lily started laughing.
James smirked.
"What!" Sirius said.
Tia picked up her flute.
Alice took up the music stand and warmed up her voice with Frank.
Remus tuned his guitar.
Bella stood in front of all of them with a conductor's baton.
Lily looked bemused.
James was still smirking.
"Okaaay… So you want to play for us at ONE IN THE MORNING! COULDN'T IT HAVE WAITED?" Lily asked.
"No, Lily dear. I believe you promised James something…"
Lily still had a bemused expression on her face.
"And we have decided to help you."
James quickly conjured a smooth, marble floor in the middle of the common room.
Lily finally got it.
'Damn.' She thought.
They had all remembered.
She had to dance with James.
God, she had annoying friends.
James wasn't a friend, though.
Okay, annoying enemies.
Damn.
------
James prodded Lily onto the floor, just as Bella had gone, "One, Two, Three!"
Alice and Frank started to sing.
"You can dance
Every dance with the girl who gives you the eye
Let her hold you tight
You can smile"
Lily looked at James.
James looked at Lily.
Lily cringed. She was wearing her short green pjs.
James wasn't much better - he was bare waist up, and had only pyjama bottoms on.
All in all, they were a very funny looking pair.
James smiled.
Lily moved in just a little bit closer.
"Every smile for the girl who'd like to treat you right
'Neath the pale moonlight
But don't forget who's takin you home
And in who's arms you're gonna be
Oh, darlin' save the last dance for me"
Lily smiled. She was having fun.
Alice sang.
Sirius played the ------snigger------ bagpipes.
James looked down on Lily. Out of all the people who he had danced with tonight, Lily was by far the prettiest. (And some of the first years were pretty hot…!)
"Oh I know
That the music's fine like sparklin' wine
Go and have your fun
Dance and sing
But while we're apart don't give your heart to anyone
And don't forget who's takin' you home
And in who's arms you're gonna be
Oh, darlin', save the last dance for me"
Lily twirled around. She had thought James was annoying.
But now he was alright.
He had danced with all of the first years.
And looked like he had had fun.
But even when they were apart, he didn't go snogging some random Ravenclaw girl.
"You can dance
Go and carry on till the night is gone
And it's time to go
If she asks
If you're all alone, can she take you home
You must tell her no"
James danced slowly with Lily.
He was glad he hadn't snogged with that random Ravenclaw girl.
He had, at first, considered it, but then told her no.
"And don't forget who's takin' you home
And in who's arms you're gonna be
Oh, darlin', save the last dance for me
And don't forget who's takin' you home
And in who's arms you're gonna be
Oh, darlin', save the last dance for me"
"Save the last dance for me," James whispered in Lily's ear.
Lily smiled.
Just maybe, maybe they could be friends.
------